LITTLE ROCK (AP) — You don’t have to tell Gene Jeffress about the challenges he faces as he runs for a congressional seat in south Arkansas. The Democratic state senator from Louann estimates he may need between $3 million and $4 million in his bid to keep the 4th district in his party’s hands, especially if he faces a contested primary.

Jeffress, who hasn’t filed paperwork to run and hasn’t raised any money yet, admits he’s got a long ways to go.

“As I sit here, I’ve got $4 in my pocket,” Jeffress said with a laugh. “I’m well on the way.”

The 2012 election is more than a year away, but Jeffress highlights what could be a major concern for Democrats as they try to rebound from a Republican wave in traditionally blue Arkansas. Republicans won two longtime Democratic U.S. House seats that gave the GOP a majority of the state’s congressional districts for the first time since Reconstruction.

Democrats are eager to prove November’s results were a blip, but they may start running out of time and resources to make that case.

State Democratic Party Chairman Will Bond said he believes the party’s candidates have plenty of time to organize and prepare for next year’s races.

“I don’t think it’s late in the game at all,” he said.

Bond pointed out Democrats already are fielding candidates in three of the four congressional districts. The list of candidates includes Ken Aden, a Democrat running in the traditionally Democratic 3rd district in northwest Arkansas.

Jeffress’ bid comes after U.S. Rep. Mike Ross, the state’s sole Democratic congressman, said he would retire at the end of his term in preparation for a potential 2014 gubernatorial bid. Ross’ retirement raised Republican hopes they can win the district, with the three candidates vying for the seat raising more than $500,000 combined.

Ross took in $2.4 million during his campaign for re-election last year.

“I think organizationally and enthusiasm-wise our base is very fired up,” Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb said. Webb said he expected at least one more GOP candidate to announce a bid for Ross’ seat.

Rep. Clark Hall’s announcement he’ll seek the nomination for the 1st District in east Arkansas removes some uncertainty for Democrats as they try to reclaim former Congressman Marion Berry’s seat. Before Hall’s announcement, the list of Democrats not running for the seat kept getting longer.

Top Democrats ranging from 2010 nominee Chad Causey to Senate President Paul Bookout opted of a chance to unseat Congressman Rick Crawford.

Hall, a former mayor of Marvell, said he’s already putting together a campaign organization and has fundraising goals he plans to meet by the end of the year. He’s running against an incumbent who already has more than $205,000 in the bank for his re-election.

“I’ve been the incumbent and I’ve been the challenger before,” Hall said. “Campaigning is a high for me.”

Whether he’ll spend that time campaigning for the nomination or the general election will become clearer in the coming days. Jonesboro businessman Steve Rockwell is still considering a run for the seat and said he hopes to decide soon.

Rockwell said he thinks Crawford is vulnerable, but said the best time for any candidate to get into the race is within the next 30 days. He brushed aside the idea he’s running out of time to make a decision.

“I think getting in too early could be just as problematic as getting in too late,” Rockwell said. “It’s important to do that in a methodical manner.”

The biggest area of concern for Democrats could be central Arkansas, once considered friendly territory. Democrats so far have been unable to find a challenger for U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin, a former interim U.S. attorney who worked in the Bush White House.

Like the 1st district seat, the list of candidates choosing not to run is growing longer by the day. The list includes David Boling, who unsuccessfully sought the party’s nomination for the seat last year. The greatest hope for the seat may be former Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, whom Democrats have privately speculated is a potential candidate.

Halter, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Senate nomination last year, has not said whether he’s even considering a run.

Bond said he believes the party will have candidates in all four districts and suspects the party will have contested primaries in the 1st, 2nd and 4th district races. He said there’s still plenty of time for the party to recruit candidates and prepare for next year.

“If I looked up I the middle of January and we didn’t have a candidate in the (2nd) district, then I would be concerned,” Bond said.

Andrew DeMillo has covered Arkansas government and politics since 2005. He can be reached at www.twitter.com/ademillo.